Viewpoints
It is time for Alaskans to
invest in Alaska's future.
By Patrick Jirschele
November 13, 2006
Monday
Some years ago in an economics class, I was told that a definition
of a third world country is one that ships its natural resources
to a first world country to be processed. We ship most of our
oil south to be refined and then buy it back as fuel at what
are often the highest prices in the Country. Just last year the
State sold off some of the finest old growth timber around at
give-away prices. It was shipped in the round to a third world
country in the Orient and not processed here. I guess that would
make us a Fourth World State.
The State wants to make a deal with "big oil" for a
natural gas pipeline to Canada that will drive the cost down
in the "lower 48". That's right, cheap gas for the
same folks that won't let us develop the oil in ANWR, and want
to keep most of Alaska locked up in some kind of national park.
It is time for Alaskans take control of our future. We should
take the Permanent Fund money and build the natural gas pipeline.
It should be built alongside the oil pipeline and end at a LNG
plant at Valdez. Instead of an annual dividend, the citizens
of Alaska would get stock in the Alaska natural gas system. Alaska
could be a real "ownership society". The people of
Alaska would share in the real largess of this State that has
been reserved for a few. We shouldn't have to kowtow to big oil.
It is our table and we have the billions to justify sitting at
the head of it.
The gas could then be used to light the fires of Alaskan industry.
Reasonably priced natural gas would run the generators in remote
villages and power mining machinery. It would fuel the road building
equipment to build highways and railroads to connect all the
communities in Alaska. Then we can access the abundant natural
resources this state holds and promote the jobs and growth that
has been stifled by a lack of transportation and the lack of
Federal investment.
Patrick Jirschele
Ketchikan, AK
Received November 11, 2006 - Published November 13, 2006
About: Long time Ketchikan resident.
Note: Comments published
on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
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